Prevention Planning in Community Mental Health assembles what is known about prevention planning within various sectors -- government, community mental health centres, schools, informal community groups and the workplace. Specialists in each area review the literature, discuss planning theories, give intervention guidelines and present empirical case examples. The book is an authoritative text for students as well as a refresher guide for professionals and others concerned with promoting and facilitating mental health.

The understanding of how to reduce risk factors for mental disorders has expanded remarkably as a result of recent scientific advances. This study, mandated by Congress, reviews those advances in the context of current research and provides a targeted definition of prevention and a conceptual framework that emphasizes risk reduction. Highlighting opportunities for and barriers to interventions, the book draws on successful models for the prevention of cardiovascular disease, injuries, and smoking. In addition, it reviews the risk factors associated with Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia, alcohol abuse and dependence, depressive disorders, and conduct disorders and evaluates current illustrative prevention programs. The models and examination provide a framework for the design, application, and evaluation of interventions intended to prevent mental disorders and the transfer of knowledge about prevention from research to clinical practice. The book presents a focused research agenda, with recommendations on how to develop effective intervention programs, create a cadre of prevention researchers, and improve coordination among federal agencies.

Familiarize yourself with successful prevention programs in mental health centers throughout the country. Prevention in Community Health Centers offers a very positive view of prevention efforts that have flourished in the past several years, despite the lack of federal support. Whether you are currently involved in an established prevention program or your agency is considering upgrading its prevention efforts, this practical volume will provide guidelines and incentives. Learn about the development and management of prevention services within applied settings--a social-problem solving program in a public school system, prevention services within a medical school-based community mental health center, a preventive intervention program for divorced and separated adults organized by a local mental health center and a chapter of Parents Without Partners, and a variety of self-help groups.

Every year, about 30,000 people die by suicide in the U.S., and some 650,000 receive emergency treatment after a suicide attempt. Often, those most at risk are the least able to access professional help. Reducing Suicide provides a blueprint for addressing this tragic and costly problem: how we can build an appropriate infrastructure, conduct needed research, and improve our ability to recognize suicide risk and effectively intervene. Rich in data, the book also strikes an intensely personal chord, featuring compelling quotes about people's experience with suicide. The book explores the factors that raise a person's risk of suicide: psychological and biological factors including substance abuse, the link between childhood trauma and later suicide, and the impact of family life, economic status, religion, and other social and cultural conditions. The authors review the effectiveness of existing interventions, including mental health practitioners' ability to assess suicide risk among patients. They present lessons learned from the Air Force suicide prevention program and other prevention initiatives. And they identify barriers to effective research and treatment. This new volume will be of special interest to policy makers, administrators, researchers, practitioners, and journalists working in the field of mental health.